What are the file specifications?
- Files must be in RGB color model, not CMYK.
- Files must be in PC format.
- Text in the files must be converted to curves/outlines (or we may need
you to provide the font).
- Files should be less than 4 MB in size for small items like name
badges.
- Image resolution should be a minimum of 160 dpi and a maximum
300 dpi when at full scale.
- Jpg and gif images should be saved in their highest quality.
What types of files can you accept?
File types:
- Corel Draw 12 or lower - cdr (cpt and cmx are also acceptable) -
this is our preferred file type
- Adobe Photoshop - psd
- Adobe Illustrator - ai
- Bitmap - bmp
- JPEG - jpg *
- TIFF - tif
- TARGA - tga
- Windows Meta File - WMF
- PNG - png
- Encapsulated Postscript - EPS
- GIF - gif *
*
Jpg and gif images should be saved in their highest quality.
How do I place an order?
To place an order you may send your image via e-mail. In the
e-mail tell us what items you are interested in purchasing, the
quantity of items, sizes, shipping address and type of shipping
(overnight, ground, etc.) required. We will get back with you
and let you know when we have received the image and give you a total
cost for your order. You can then call us with your credit card
information or pay online.
Color matching is not guaranteed. Why?
There are several reasons for not being
able to match colors with this process. A monitor image is produced
using light to illuminate red, green and blue (RGB) dots so is
considered "light additive" or "transmissive". The monitor is able to
display a much wider range of colors than a reflective product. An
image printed onto something is viewed by "reflective light" of the
cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) colors. It is nearly
impossible to make reflective and transmissive colors match.
If your monitor is calibrated correctly
the colors will be very close to what you see on the screen. Most
monitors are not calibrated correctly when you purchase them. Usually
when you purchase a monitor you must calibrate it yourself using a
program such as Adobe PhotoShop's gamma utility.
Last but not least, the process we use is
a dye. The color gamut of these dyes are much more limited than the
color gamut of regular printer inks. Regular CMYK printer inks can
print upwards of 14 million colors. Our dyes can only print a
fraction of that many colors.
Will you do PMS color matching?
To the best of our ability, yes. As we
mentioned under the color matching question, our dyes do not have a
complete range of the color spectrum so there will be certain PMS
colors which we can not match exactly.
If you require your design to be a
specific PMS color, please provide the PMS color number(s) with a
fully editable design (vector format). We will do our best to get as
close as possible.
Additional charges may apply.
Can I see an
online proof of my item prior to printing?
Yes. Once we get any art you are submitting and your order,
we can setup the image for you to view online prior to printing.
We do not setup online proofs of every item that has same image (like
larger quantities of name badges or plaques) or if you have submitted
completed graphics which we don't do anything to but print. If you require
this service there will be an additional charge.
How long will it take to process my
order?
Average turn around on small orders of in stock products is
normally 3 working days, based on a 5 day work week (except for
mounted glass plaques and tiles, please allow 10 working days and
car magnets normally take 5-7 working days), of
receipt of payment and the computer graphic file. If an item happens
to be temporarily out of stock, we will inform you promptly by phone
or e-mail. Rush jobs
are accepted on an "as time permits" basis and are subject to a 50% up
charge.
How strong are your name badge magnets?
Strong enough to firmly hold through a
thick business suit lapel and summer jackets. They do not work on
some winter overcoats. People with pacemakers should not use
magnets.
What are the name badges and license plates made out of?
Our badges and license plates are made out of high quality
white fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) with a glossy finish. This
is a stiff plastic which is approximately .09" thick (about the same
thickness of 2 U.S. dimes stacked on top of each other) .
How do I
setup my name badges?
The image size for each badge is listed
in the table below. The bleed area extends beyond the size of the
badge so that the color will go all the way to the edge. Most of this
area will be cut off during printing.
To save time, please feel free to
download our templates. The outer guideline (black) is for full bleed.
The inner guideline (red) is the area for text. If you are submitting
something other than a Corel draw file to us for printing please
remove the red line prior to submission.
| Actual Badge size |
Full bleed area |
Text should fit within |
CorelDraw 8+ template
file |
| 1.25" x 3" rectangle |
1.35" x 3.1" |
1.1" x 2.85" |
create-a-badge1x3.cdr |
| 1.5" x 3" oval |
1.6" x 3.1" |
1.35" x 2.85" |
create-a-badgeoval.cdr |
| 1.5" x 3" rectangle |
1.6" x 3.1" |
1.35" x 2.85" |
|
| 2" x 3" rectangle |
2.1 x 3.1" |
1.85" x 2.85" |
create-a-badge2x3.cdr |
to
see prices/samples click here
Do you have any pointers when making our own
badge design?
We ask that you upload only the
background of your badge and then select the text from our shopping
cart on the
www.create-a-badge.com website. If you don't find a text or color to your liking, ask for a
specific font or font color and we will see if we can accommodate your
request.
The process we use is a dye in a gaseous
state. The color gamut of these dyes are much more limited
than the color gamut of regular printer inks. Regular CMYK
printer inks can print upwards of 14 million colors. Our dyes
can only print a fraction of that many colors (about 13%) so subtle
lens effects and gradients may not show up or may be dramatically
different than expected. We recommend you do not use text any
smaller than 6 pt. (we really recommend all text be 10-12 or
larger in order to easily be read from a distance of 4-6 feet). When using thin text or serif text we
recommend using bold versions of these fonts especially if they are
used on darker colored backgrounds. White/lighter text on dark
backgrounds tend to get "swallowed up" by the surrounding dyes.
We recommend after your design is finished to make all text in
darker areas at least 1-2 point larger and outline the text with the same color to make it more
bold.
How strong are your car magnets?
All of our
car magnets are made with the recommended .030" (30 mil) sheeting to withstand
the wind shear factor at highway speeds. The magnets are rated
up to 80 mph.
to see prices/sampes
click here
Are your mugs dishwasher safe?
Our 11 and 15 oz. mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe. Our
white 22 oz. German steins are dishwasher safe but should not be
used in a microwave. Our
18 oz., 22 oz. (gray & beige) and travel mugs are not considered dishwasher
or microwave safe and
should be hand washed only for image longevity.
to see prices/samples click here
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